Combined file and binder for newspapers and such like material.



N0. 809,484. PATENTED JAN. 9, 1906.

J. WILSON.

COMBINED FILE AND BINDER FOR NEWSPAPERS AND SUCH LIKE MATERIAL.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 29.1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. 809,484. PATENTED JAN. 9, 1906.

V J. WILSON. COMBINED FILE AND BINDER FOR NEWSPAPERS AND SUCH LIKE MATERIAL.

APPLIUATION FILED NOV. 29-1904- 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

No. 809,484. 'PATENTED JAN. 9, 1906. J. WILSON.

COMBINED FILE AND BINDER FOR NEWSPAPERS AND SUCH LIKE MATERIAL.

APPLICATION IE ILED NOV. 29-1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

ZVMJE UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH WILSON, OF CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND.

COMBINED FILE AND BINDER FOB NEWSPAPERS AND SUCH LIKE MATERIAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 9, 1906.

Application filed November 29, 1904. Ser N0- 234,777.

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH WiLson, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Christchurch, in the Colony of New Zealand, have invented a new and useful Combined File and Binder for Newspapers and Such Like Material; and I do hereby declare the followingto be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention has been devised to provide a file for newspapers and other sheet material, such as circulars, reports, gazettes, letters, and the like.

Myinvention also provides means whereby abatch of papers or letters may be conveniently threaded with a View to binding them as they are placed upon the file, and means are also provided for binding such material as it is removed from the file, it being only necessary to tie the string after the-papers are removed, as will be hereinafter explained.

In order to file letters, I prefer to employ a special form of letter-file having three curved connecting-pieces, which are kept closed upon the file proper by any suitable spring mechanism, said curved pieces being capable of being thrown backward .or sidewise when a letter is to be placed on the file.

My invention for binding together a number of letters can be operated on such a file, as will be hereinafter explained.

In order that the invention may be thoroughly understood, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front view of my file closed. Fig. 2 is a similar View showing file open to receive material and guard thrown back. Fig. 3 shows papers hanging on a closed file prior to closing down the guard. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a letter-file provided with my binding device. Fig. 5 is a similar View of a two-spike file, and Fig. 6 is a plan of a backing-strip. Fig. 7 is a part-sectional view showing how the hooks are mounted on the frame. Fig. 8 is a diagram ofthe binding.

Upon a suitable frame 1 are hooks 2 2, Whose ends are sharpened and each provided with an eye, through which a cord 3 may be passed. A third hook 4 is also upon the frame 1,

whose function Will be hereinafter explained.

Connected to the frame, so as to be capable of hinging thereon, is a flap 5, that has loopsv inner part of the loops should bear upon the outer curve of the hooks, so that a slight pressure will need to be applied to bring the flap to the locked position. (Shown in Figs. 1 and 3.) Also hinged to the frame 1 is a guard 7, which normally covers the points of the spikes 2 2 and 4; but it can be raised and thrown back, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The wires 8, which support the guard on the frame, are passed round the wire of the frame and the end of same bent to form a spring-catch 9, which when the guard is lowered onto the spikes passes behind the stems of the spikes 2 2, and thus keeps the guard in its place until pressure enough is applied to the guards to overcome the springs and force them past the stems aforesaid.

I have shown my file for newspapers and the like constructed of wire, which is preferably steel wire, as such a use permits of it being made cheaply and easily by any expert wire worker. it may, however, be constructed of other material so long as the principle of the invention is not lost sight of.

The file above described may be used for letters, newspapers, gazettes, and the like which do not require to be classified or arranged alphabetically. The same may be made ready for binding if before they are placed on the spikes 2- 2 and l the cord 3 is passed through the eyes in spikes 2 2. If the papers are now fed onto the file, the cord 3 will be passed through the papers at two points, as shown in Fig. 3. When-a sufiicient number have accumulated and it is required to bind them, the ends of the cord are Withdrawn from the spikes 2 2 and threaded both Ways or from right and left, respectively, through the eye in the spike 4. If the papers are removed bodily from the file, the cord will thus be threaded through the central part of the sheets and its free ends will protrude from the same. These may be tied so as to embrace or inclose the looped part of the cord already upon the back of the sheets and the papers will be securely bound longitudinally, Fig. 8.

In order to strengthen the binding, backing-strips 10 may be used, one of which is passed onto the hooks so as to come immediately beneath and one upon the batch of papers or the like that are filed. Thus the backingstrips will be bound up with the rest.

When the papers, letters, and the like that are filed are required to be alphabetically arranged, I prefer to employ a file of the kind illustrated in Fig. 4 of the accompanying drawings, in which are spikes 11, 12, and 13, hav- .IOO

IIO

ing curved connecting-pieces 14, which can be forced away from the spikes against the operation of the springs 15, which springs keep the file normally closed. a The springs 15 are pieces of spring-steel firmly set in the baseplate, and when the curved pieces 14 are opened such action forces the lower portion thereof past the springs 15. Each spike has an eye, and the papers are impaled on the spikes as required.

When asufiicient number have accumulated for binding, the whole batch of letters or other.

material is passed over the curved portion of the file, as in Fig. 4, and the cord 3 threaded through the eyes in spikes 11 and 13. The papers are then returned to their original position on the file, thereby threading the cord through them at two points. The cord is then withdrawn from the spikes 11 and 13 and threaded both ways through the spike 12 in precisely the same way as in the case of newspapers or the like, previously described, and the letters are then removed from the file, thus threading the cord through the central portion. The ends are then tied, as above described, to render the binding complete.

In order to strengthen the binding when using all the spikes together, after the letters have been passed over the curved pieces preparatory to threading the cord and after that has been done the backing-strip 10 is placed on the spikes over the cord. When the letters have been replaced in position, a second strip is added before withdrawing the cord from the outer spikes. The binding operation is then as above described.

My binding arrangement is applicable in a slightly-modified way to two spike-files, one of which is shown open in Fig. 5, in which letters are impaled on the spikes 16 and 17. Each is provided with an eye, through which the cord 3 is threaded. If the file is opened and the papers lifted therefrom, the cord will be passed through the same and can be tied to form a simple loop through the papers at the back.

By placing an eye in the spike of a singlespike file it will be found very advantageous to thread therethrough the cord after the file has been filled with matter. When such is removed, the cord will be threaded through I the same, and its ends can then be tied in a loop through the matter which can be suspended thereon.

In the file shown in Fig. 4 one, two, or three spikes may be used at a time. The part comprising spike 11 can be operated independently of 12 and 13. The latter two are arranged to be operated together;,but the most usual way for employing the file will be with three spikes and cord 3, as previously arranged.

The reason I use a file of the kind described for letters and the like requiring alphabetical arrangement is because such a form provides a continuous rod, over which the letters may be passed when a batch is arranged in alphabetical order on the file, so as to get at or add thereto a letter well on in the alphabet. Thus say a letter in the name of Smith has to be turned up when the file is nearly full and at the same time, alphabetically-arranged, the superposed letters would be turned over the curved portions 14 and the file opened, and the Smith letter removed or another added. In this connection alphabeticallyarranged division-sheets usually employed in letterfiles would be upon the device, and when the batch of letters is complete the whole of the division-sheets may be removed in the manner above explained with reference to a letter, leaving only the correspondence on the file to be bound.

My invention operates as follows: The cord 3 is threaded through the outer books or spikes, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, after which a strip of cardboard or other suitable material 10 is passed onto the hooks or spikes on the frame or plate. If the flap 5 is open to position shown in Fig. 2, newspapers or the like 18 may then be hung upon the hooks. Simultaneous with this operation loops in the cord 3 will be threaded through the outer portions of the newspapers, as seen in Fig. 3. When the file is full and it is desired to remove the papers, the file is first opened and a second strip or liner 10 is placed over the hooks or spikes and the cord 3 withdrawn from the hooks 2 2 or spikes 11 13. Its ends are then threaded both ways or from the right and left, respectively, through the eye in the hook 4 or the eye in spike 12, and the file is then withdrawn from the papers or the papers from the file, thereby causing the ends of the cord to pass with the return of hook 4 or spike 12 through the hole made by said hook or spike. Such an operation will withdraw the cord through the central portion of the papers, leaving only the free ends to be tied at the back of them in such a way as to embrace the looped back portion of the cord. By this means newspapers and other publications which do not require to be classified alphabetically may be filed and easily and quickly bound longitudinally. The same description as regards the binding operation applies when the file as shown in Fig. 4 is used; but when a file having the curved connecting-pieces is employed the cord need not be placed upon the file until a convenient batch of letters has accumulated for binding. When ready to be bound, the whole of the letters are passed over the curved portions 14 of the file, and then the cord is passed through the eye in spikes 11 and 13 and a backing-strip 10 placed upon the spikes. The letters are then brought back again to their original position on the file and a second backing-strip placed upon the spikes over the letters and the cord withdrawn from the eyelets in spikes 11 and 13 and threaded through the eyelet in spike 12 from the right and left, respectively, and 'then if the file is opened and the whole of the letters are taken out and removed bodily therefrom the cord will be bound longitudinally through the papers. The cord is of such a length that when the letters are removed from the file only an inch or two of the ends remain to protrude from the central hole. These ends are tied together so as to embrace or inclose the cord of the looped back :portion of the binding in order to render the binding complete.

I wish it to be understood that I do not claim the file with the curved connecting-pieces per se, but only in combination with the cord and the special construction whereby one, two, or the three spikes may be operated independently or all together in combination with the cord.

Having now described'my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a file for newspapers and the like, in combination, a narrow oblong-shaped frame, upwardly-projecting sharpened hooks secured upon the frame whereon sheets of paper are impaled, a flap that is hinged to the frame that has loops or incisions through which the hooks come when the flap is brought over the hooks in order to hold or lock the papers on the file, a guard-piece likewise hinged to the frame that is adapted to come over the points of the hooks and spring-catches on the guard-wire supports that engage with the stems of the spikes, substantially as specified.

2. In a file for newspapers, letters and such like not requiring alphabetical arrangement in which the matter filed may also be longitudinally bound, anarrow oblong-shaped frame, and three upwardly projecting sharpened hooks on the frame, in combination with a cord that is passed through the eyes in the outer pair of hooks preparatory to placing matter on the file, and when the file is full withdrawn from the outer pair of hooks and its free ends threaded both ways respectively through the eye in the central hook and the papers withdrawn from the file, a flap that is hinged to the frame that has loops or incisions through which the hooks come when the flap is brought over the hooks in order to lock the papers on the file, a guard piece likewise hinged to the frame that is adapted to come over the points of the hooks and spring-catches upon the guard-wire supports that engage with the stems of the spikes, substantially as described and as illustrated.

3. A file for letters and the like requiring alphabetical arrangement, comprising a file having three spikes and curved pieces 14: adapted to engage with the ends of the spikes in which latter are eyes, in combination with a cord that is threaded through the eyes in the spikes said file being constructed so that one, two or three spikes, may be operated independently of each other, or altogether as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. Y

JOSEPH WILSON. WVitnesses:

P. M. NEWTON, M. E. EYES. 

